I recently wrote about food waste and how with a little planning you could save money, time and waste by creating several meals from the same already cooked food. The idea is to make multiple meals from large foods that would typically take several days to eat.

A good friend of mine always called these “planned overs” instead of leftovers.

The folks at More In My Basket at NC State offer some ideas on how to make three
meals out of a large rotisserie chicken. Of course, it depends on how many people
you’re trying to feed with this chicken and the size of the chicken. Here are their ideas:

Day one: eat the chicken as an entrée with vegetables.
Day two: make shredded chicken sandwiches by adding tomato sauce, veggies and
spices.
Day three: make a noodle soup using any remaining chicken.

The More In My Basket team also reminds us that you don’t have to use a rotisserie chicken. If you have the time, roast your own chicken. This saves money allowing you to put more in your basket. By roasting your own chicken, you’re also in control when it comes to seasonings, add your own spices or a dipping sauce. While you’re in the kitchen and have the oven turned on, why not roast some vegetables, too? On day three, there may be some slim pickings on those chicken bones, but don’t throw them out yet. There may be enough for one last meal. Make chicken noodle soup! Here’s a recipe from our colleagues at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension for making quick and easy homemade soup.

Chicken Noodle Soup

• 1 tablespoon oil (any kind such as vegetable, canola or olive)
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 cup chopped onion (about 1 onion)
• 2 cups sliced carrots (about 3 carrots)
• 1⁄2 cup chopped celery (about 2 ribs)
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sage
• 1 tablespoon rosemary
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced (about 1 pound boneless and skinless chicken)
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 cups whole grain egg noodles, cooked

Place a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add oil, garlic, onion, celery, and carrots and sauté for about 7-10 minutes or until vegetables began to soften. Add seasonings and stir. Add cooked shredded/diced chicken and stir. Add broth and bring to a gentle boil, about 3-5 minutes. Add cooked egg noodles, let simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve. Makes about six 1 1/3 cup servings with about 200 calories each. This soup freezes well. Make ahead and freeze for a cold or sick day or when you need a quick already made meal. If you have some time, you can really use up the last bit of chicken by cooking down the bones and drippings and making your own stock instead of using store bought chicken broth. This helps reduce the food waste a little more, adds flavor to the soup stock and allows you to get all the goodness from the bones. If you’re using a rotisserie chicken, add the drippings from the container, too. Rotisserie chickens are usually full of salt already so you may need to reduce or eliminate it and other seasonings in the recipe. If you don’t have any leftovers, use any boneless/skinless chicken. Turkey can also be used instead of chicken.

Making your own soup also allows you to use up other leftovers that may be in your
fridge like cooked pasta, rice or grains. If there are leftover vegetables from day one,
throw them into the soup, too. Just use this recipe as a starting point.

Homemade soup can be healthier than store-bought canned soups because you are in control of the ingredients. Most canned soups are high in salt. All the spices in this
recipe are optional. Season with your favorites.

More In My Basket (MIMB) was developed in 2010 at NC State University to increase
food security through education and application assistance. MIMB is a research-based program that can help families shop and cook smart, avoid food waste and have enough to eat.

The MIMB team provides assistance to those interested in applying for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). They can answer questions and conduct screenings to help determine eligibility for SNAP. To learn more, contact the More In My Basket team toll-free at 1-855-240-1451 or visit morefood.org. MIMB serves all of North Carolina.

RESOURCES:

One Chicken, Several Meals - Part 2

One Chicken, Several Meals - Part 3

Chicken Noodle Soup

Rotisserie Chicken

Recycle That Rotisserie Chicken

Embellish Rotisserie Chicken for Quick Nutritious Meals

Syracuse is a Family and Consumer Science team member and can be reached at NC Cooperative Extension, Brunswick County Center 910-253-2610 or by email at clsyracu@ncsu.edu